If you haven’t noticed yet, YouTube has added a “new” tag to videos that are up to one week old. While it might seem like a small change, it could actually have a big impact on which videos people are more likely to click on.
Let’s dive into some of the pros and cons for creators.
The Pros
Pro #1: Helping viewers find fresh content.
We already know people tend to prefer new things over older ones (also known as novelty bias). Before, viewers had to check the video’s age to see if it was new, which could be a bit of a hassle. Now, with the “new” tag on thumbnails, it’s much easier to spot fresh content. This could reduce the time people spend deciding what to watch and increase the chances they’ll stick around to view the video.
As a bonus, it’s now easier for fans to spot new videos from their favorite creators.
Pro #2: A boost for active creators.
This update should help creators who upload regularly, as their videos will more often get the “new” tag. However, it might hurt creators who upload less frequently, since their content won’t benefit from the tag as often.
The Cons
Con #1: Viewers might feel overloaded.
There’s already a lot for viewers to consider when choosing a video—thumbnail, title, creator logo, view count, video length, and more. Adding the “new” tag is just one more thing to process, which could overwhelm some viewers. It’s not guaranteed to be a big problem, but it’s worth keeping in mind.
Con #2: Thumbnail design challenges.
Thumbnail designers will need to make sure the “new” tag doesn’t cover important elements like text or images. I’ve already noticed a few thumbnails that didn’t account for this and were affected by the update.
In the end, I’m not sure if this update will turn out to be a win or a loss, but I’m willing to give it a chance. YouTube is likely just testing the waters, like they did with their recent experiment of showing comments and likes instead of views.